Hello there! I am a pretty new bunny parent and so I am unsure about what is and is not a well bonded pair.
Here's the background...
I got my first rescue rabbit, Stu (neutered and about 1 year old) in February this year. He roams around my flat freely day and night as he WILL NOT stay in a hutch or pen, even if it's big! After he had settled, I took on a second, female rabbit, Dot. She is also around 1 and has been spayed. Before I got her I did tonnes of research about how to bond a pair of rabbits and I set up a special pen in my kitchen (where Stu doesn't really go). I then gradually introduced them slowly over two weeks, having first spent several days swapping their bedding and litter trays.
I moved Dot's pen into the living area and she and Stu were enjoying nose toughing through the bars and seemed very content and happy about their new environment. When they met without the bars there was no humping, mounting or aggression of any sort. They would occasionally groom one another, but only quite rarely, otherwise just getting on with their own thing.
Two weeks later they are absolutely fine in living together, eat from the same hay box and sleep under the same bed (not sure if they snuggle!). However, I have noticed that they do not groom each other readily, despite Stu often bowing to Dot asking her to. Sometimes Dot bows to Stu, but not often. They do not spend much time together and are not particularly affectionate. They groom themselves and lay out stretched at the same time, but across the room from one another.
I am worried they haven't properly bonded because they have so much space in my flat to roam. It is a studio flat, but pretty spacious. They are never in separate rooms, but are usually apart. It has not been possible for me to decrease their space because Stu is a beast and will not stay in the confines of anything.
Does anyone have any advice on this? Have a ruined their chances of loving each other, or will they grow closer?! Any suggestions or advice mist welcome!
Many thanks!
Here's the background...
I got my first rescue rabbit, Stu (neutered and about 1 year old) in February this year. He roams around my flat freely day and night as he WILL NOT stay in a hutch or pen, even if it's big! After he had settled, I took on a second, female rabbit, Dot. She is also around 1 and has been spayed. Before I got her I did tonnes of research about how to bond a pair of rabbits and I set up a special pen in my kitchen (where Stu doesn't really go). I then gradually introduced them slowly over two weeks, having first spent several days swapping their bedding and litter trays.
I moved Dot's pen into the living area and she and Stu were enjoying nose toughing through the bars and seemed very content and happy about their new environment. When they met without the bars there was no humping, mounting or aggression of any sort. They would occasionally groom one another, but only quite rarely, otherwise just getting on with their own thing.
Two weeks later they are absolutely fine in living together, eat from the same hay box and sleep under the same bed (not sure if they snuggle!). However, I have noticed that they do not groom each other readily, despite Stu often bowing to Dot asking her to. Sometimes Dot bows to Stu, but not often. They do not spend much time together and are not particularly affectionate. They groom themselves and lay out stretched at the same time, but across the room from one another.
I am worried they haven't properly bonded because they have so much space in my flat to roam. It is a studio flat, but pretty spacious. They are never in separate rooms, but are usually apart. It has not been possible for me to decrease their space because Stu is a beast and will not stay in the confines of anything.
Does anyone have any advice on this? Have a ruined their chances of loving each other, or will they grow closer?! Any suggestions or advice mist welcome!
Many thanks!
